Blyth's Reed Warbler

[Deepak Ramani]

Eq used: Canon 400D, 300mm f4 + 1.4x tc
Exif: 1/640s, f5.6, ISO 400
30% crop, levels adjusted and subject sharpened.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Nice pose. There are many fans of this style of post processing. However, I would like to caution you that making the image overall dark with a kind of "spot light look" is like falling into a trap as there are many who have been doing this for ages. To the lay man it may have a different/good impact. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Mrudul Godbole]

The perch and the eye contact is nice. I agree with the above comments. Thanks for sharing.

[Deepak Ramani]

Hi Sabyasachi/Mrudul,
I guess you are questioning the ethics I follow in posting my pictures. As mentioned in my post processing details, all I have done is a vertical crop and adjusting levels minimally to get this image (and sharpening of the subject). I have not and will not do anything more than this. I am ready to share the raw file with you and you will be able to get this image by just doing what I have said above.
If it is a critic of the image and that you do not like spotlights, then all I have to say is nature does throw such surprises (read spotlights) sometimes and I have only captured it with the limited skills I have as a photographer.

regards,
Deepak

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Deepak,
I was not talking about ethics here in terms of post processing. Absolutely not.

I was just cautioning about the pitfalls of following this style. On the contrary, remember, there have been a few memorable images and even awarded in BBC. In a critique forum like this it is important to point out and speak the truth as I see it. Please don't get me wrong. I repeat, it was a suggestion about style which because of overuse by many people normally (not always) gets discarded in photography competitions.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi
PS: On another instance a photographer had offered to send me the RAW file. Despite me saying yes, I never got the correct RAW file. :D

[Deepak Ramani]

Hi Sabyasachi,
Thanks for clearing the air as I would otherwise have found it difficult to sleep imagining that someone was questioning my ethics...LOL
Critics/comments are always welcome. But this was a real spotlight and I just changed the levels little bit. I myself prefer to portray it as is visible to naked eye.

regards,
Deepak

[Murugan Anantharaman]

Nice to hear healthy debates and clear minds in the end :).

I really like this image. I am always fascinated by the claws of birds and in this case too the right claw is nicely visible. The spotlight on the bird enhances this image. The bg is nice too. Thanks for sharing.